Lifting mechanism



Nov. 14,1939; U, MIZER 2,179,948

LIFTING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 5,' 19:59

V IN r snron J'ase)5 J M22812] I BY I Patented No v. 14, 1939 "UNI ED STATE 2,179,948 LlF'l'lNG mncnamsm PATENT orrlcai Joseph J. Miler, Racine, Wia, assignmto Walker 1 Manufacturing Company, Racine, Wla, a cornotation of Wisconsin Application August 5, 1939, Serial No. 288,55.

5 Claims.

The present invention relates to lifting devices, and is particularly directed to a structure embodying improvements on the lifting mechanism described and claimed in applicant's copending application Serial No; 264,355, filed March 2'7, 1939, now Patent No. 2,168,489, granted August Principal objects of the present invention are to provide a lifting device of the above generally 1 ing elements, to accommodate the structure to forced base structure.

wheels of different heights; and to provide such an arrangement embodying an improved rein- H With the above as well as other objects in view, which appear in the following description and in the appended claims, a preferred but illustrative embodiment is shown in the accompanying draw ing, throughout the several views of which corresponding reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved lifting device in operative position;

-- Figure 2 is a detailed view in perspective of the improved lifting head;

' Figure 3 is a view in front elevation of the im-, proved lifting head;' a

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the improved jack base structure; and

Figure 5 is a view in section, taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

As is described in the above identified copending "application, lifting devices of the type to which the'presentinvention particularly relates comprise generally a Jack member adapted to be applied to an exposed part of the vehicle wheel so as to lift the same, and .a holding member. adapted to be positioned belowan unsprung part of the vehicle so as to hold the previously raised wheel in elevated position. After the holding member is positioned beneath the unsprung part, the jack member may beremoved from the wheel, thereby enabling thereplacement-of the tire, the wheel or both. The present invention is. particularly concerned with improvements in the construction of the jack member itself.

Referring to the several figures, the improved jack member comprises generally a base member ll, from which a housing I2 extends upwardly at a fixed but slight inclination thereto. The'housing l2 accommodates a usual lifting column I4, illustrated as being of the rack type, and the upper portion a of the housing ll is arranged in-any suitable manner to accommodate the usual actuating mechanism, associated with the column I. A usual handle element-l6 is provided.

which may be raised and lowered inlthe usual fashion, so as to raise or lower the column M relative to the housing l2. The housing I2 is of greater transverse width than the column I! as clearly appears in Figure 5, but guiding support for the column I4 is afforded by the guide open ing defined by the marginal edge IS in the base l0, and by striking in ways 20 from the respectively opposite side of the upper portion of the housing l2, as appears in Figure 1. The lower end of the column it engages in the opening when the Jack is lowered, and grooves in the sides I of the column engage over the ways throughout the travel of the column. Thus. the actu- Rsssum ating mechanism |2a causesthe column l4 to raise and lower along a line parallel to the inclination of the housing l2.

At its upper end, the lifting column H is provided a head 22, having the two wheel engaging lugs 24 and 26. The head 22 comprises-a generally rectangular body portion, adapted to fit down over the upper end of the column ,and

is secured in place thereon in any suitable manner as by one or more rivets such as 28, passed transversely therethrough, so as to form a rigid connection between these two members.

In the practical operation of the device, and as described in the above identified copending apto bring, for normal operation, the lifting lug 24 beneath the outwardly and upwardly curved portion 32 of the rim structure 34 associated with the wheel 30. The just mentioned curved portion I 32, as viewed in an axial section through the wheel, is of only'limited extent as will be appreciated and also, it may be expected that in practice, in certain instances at least, the lifting movement will involve a small amount of sliding of the rim portion a: about the lifting lug 24 as abearing. The normal jack raising or lowering operations comprise simplya vertical;reciprocation of the handle it but it will be appreciated that during such movements a tendency may develop to swing the handle in such a direction as to rock the column I4 to alimited extent about its own axis.

Bearing the above as well as other considerations in view, the lifting lu'g 24' of .the present structure comprises an elongated rounded body portion 40, the rim engaging portion whereof extends upwardly somewhat from the general plane of the connecting portion 42. The generally rounded form of the body portion adapts it to fit closely within the rounded portion 32 of the rim, the curvature of the rounded portion being such as to enable it to seat within the portion 32 much as a bearing element seats within a cooperating bearing. The elongated form of the body portion 40 enables it to directly engage the rim portion 42 over a substantial length circumferentially-of the rim, so as to minimize the tendency of the previously described rocking movement of the handle from unseating it. In order to enable the rounded portion to directly engage all parts to the plane of rotation of the rim, securely seats beneath the rounded portion 42 of the rim, and

produces a very firm engagement between the rim and the jack.

- tions are effected by placing the lug 24 beneath the rim portion 42 as previously described. In such normal lifting movement the rim 24 carries a tire, which, even in flattened condition, raises the rim structure somewhat above the level of the roadway. In order to shorten the overall length of the jack as much as possible, it is de-' sirable to so proportion it that when the lug 24 initially engages under the rim portion 32, the column I4 is withdrawn substantially to. its lowermost position. With these considerations in view, it will be appreciated that in the event it becomes necessary to lift a rim, not provided with a tire, it is desirable to provide the jack structure with a supplemental lifting lug. In the present instance this feature is aiforded by providing the,

head 22 with the additional lug 24, which is positioned immediately belowand in slightly forwardly offset relation to the upper lug 24. The form of the lug '24 of course corresponds in all respects to the form of the lug 24, and it will be appreciated that the vertical spacing between the lugs 24 and 24 is such that when the lower lug 24 is positioned beneath the cooperating portion l2 of the rim, the upper lug 24 clears the upper edge of the rim,

An important feature of the present construc-' tion resides in the construction of the lower part of the housing i2 and the constructionof the base. Referring particularly to Figures-4 and 5, it will be noticed, that the housing I2 is of,generally box-like form, formed, .by suitable die forming operations, froman initially plane sheet "of stoch with the meeting edges of the stock secured together as by welding at a plurality of points therealong such as 84. In'order to laterally widen the housing I2, and enable it to better withstand the severe strain which is placed upon it when a vehicle is rolled off the jack, without lowering the latter, the lower portion l2b of the housing I3 is relatively widely 'fiared. The connection between the housing l2 and the base III is effected by providing the lower end of the ,housing with the laterally turned flanges I2 and 54, which seat upon and are secured as by 'riveting to the upper surface of the base Ill. The base In is of generally downwardly presenting cuplike form,-and maximum strength is imparted thereto by forming the ribs 58, 58, Oil and 24 along the marginal edges thereof. The rib 2! is of particular importance, since it will be appreciated that when the vehicle is rolled oi! the jack, the principal strain on the base is applied along the portion thereof adjacent the wheel, The rib 24 respectively reinforces the base for this service, while, at the same time, permitting the base of the housing I2 to be positioned immediately adjacent the front face of the base. Additional reinforcing of the base is afforded by forming the previously mentioned flange ll around the guide opening for the lifting column l4.

It will be appreciated from the foregoingthat the present invention provides an extremely simple and effective lifting device, andlthat although only one speciflc embodiment of the invention has been described in detail, various modiflcations in the form, number and arrangement of parts may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the invention. w

What is claimed is:

1. In a lifting device for vs vehicle wheel, said wheel having a rim portion projecting therefrom which is outwardly and upwardly curved in a plane transverse to the plane of rotation of the wheel, said device having a base adapted to rest 1 upon a supporting surface and a substantially linear column carried by the? and extending inclinedly upwardly therefro at a fixed angle thereto, the combination of a head carried by the column at the top of the column, said head having a lifting lug projecting laterally-therefrom in the direction toward which said column is inclined, said lug being of elongated, generally rounded form, the curvature of the body in a plane transverse to the length thereof being proportioned in accordance with the aforesaid curvature of said rim portion, and the upper surface of the body being arched on a radius approximately equal to the radius of the vehicle rim, r 2. In a lifting device for a vehicle wheel, said wheel having a rim portion projecting therefrom which is outwardly and upwardly curved in a plane transverse to the plane of rotation of the wheel, said device havinga base adapted to rest upon a supporting surface and a substantially linear column carried by the base and extending inclinedly upwardly therefrom at a fixed angle thereto, the combination of a head carried by the column at the top of the column, said head comprising a'pair of immediately adjacent vertically spaced rim engaging lugs, each said his extending laterally from the column in the direction in which the column is inclined, each said lug having a body portion of elongated, rounded form, the curvature of the body in a plane transverse to, the length thereof being proportioned in accordance with the aforesaid curvature of said portion, the vertical spacing between said lugs being proportioned so that when the lower in: is engaged with the said rim portion'the upper lug extends over the top of the rim.

8. In a lifting device'for a vehicle wheel, said mimosa wheel having a rim portion projecting therefrom which is outwardly and upwardly curved in a plane transverse to the plane of rotation of the wheel, said device having a base adapted to rest upon a supporting surface and a substantially linear column carried by the base and extendlnliinclinedly upwardly therefrom at a fixed angle thereto, the combination of a head carried by the ance with the aforesaid curvature of said portion, the vertical spacing between said lugs being proportioned so that when the lower lug is engaged with the said rim portion, the upper lug extends over the top of the associated rim, and. said lower lug being ofl'set from the column a greater distance than the upper 1118.

4. In a jack of the class described, the combination 01' a base structure, a housing member secured to and extending upwardlyand forwardly from the base structureat a fixed inclination thereto, said housing being adapted to accommo-- date a lifting column, said housing being flared adjacent the base in a plane at right angles-to the plane of said inclination, said base being of downwardly presenting cup-like form, said housing being secured to said base at a point spaced rearwardly from the front edge of the base, and

'said base having a reinforcing rib struck from the base portion thereof and positioned between the housing and said front edge.

-5. In a jack of the class described, the combination of a base structure, a housing member secured to and extending upwardly and forwardly from the base structure at a fixed inclination thereto, said housing being adapted -to accommodate a lifting column, said housing being flared adJaeent the base .in a plane at right angles to V the plane of said inclination, said base being of downwardly presenting cup-like form, said houslng being secured to said base at a point spaced rearwardly from the front edge,of the base, and said base having a reinforcing rib struck from the base portion thereof and positioned between the housing and said front edge, said base having an opening in the body thereof through which said column is adapted to project when in lowered position, and said opening having a reinforc- 'ing flange extending therearound to reinforce the base structure.

.' JOSEPH J, MIZER. 

